“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
–John 3:30
It’s interesting to examine the life of the apostle Paul as he grew in the grace of God. Not only did he come to a better understanding of God Himself, but he also increased in his humility with regards to his own greatness. Take a look for yourself:
In A.D. 49, when Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians, he introduced himself as Paul, an apostle. Then, 7 years later in A.D. 56, he wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:9 that he was “the least of the apostles.” And then, in A.D. 61, he described himself in Ephesians 3:8 as the “very least of the saints.” Then finally in A.D. 66, as he’s coming to the end of the road, he speaks to young Timothy and describes himself in 1Timothy 1:15 as the foremost of sinners.
You see, there was a direct correlation between Paul’s growth in Christ and his humility. The more he knew God, the more he realized just how far short of God’s grace he fell!
As you grow in your relationship with Christ, you’ll too realize how great Jesus is and how much you fall short of that greatness. But instead of letting that discourage you, let it create in you a deep sense of humility, knowing that while you’ve been given much more than you deserve, Jesus still gives abundantly!
AS YOU WALK WITH CHRIST, GROW IN YOUR HUMILITY BY RECOGNIZING HOW UNDESERVING YOU ARE AND HOW GREAT GOD IS!
